


i know you will still love me the same

by storuns



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fluff, M/M, cried while typing this, sorry about this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-14
Updated: 2014-07-14
Packaged: 2018-02-08 20:02:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1954407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/storuns/pseuds/storuns
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"so honey now, take me into your loving arms, kiss me under the light of a thousand stars, place your hand on my beating heart, i'm thinking out loud, that maybe, we found love right where we are."</p>
            </blockquote>





	i know you will still love me the same

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by "thinking out loud" by ed sheeran.  
> sorry for any mistakes because its 3 AM 
> 
> tumblr: stylanteam  
> twitter: stylanism

They were eight years old when they met each other on the playground at school.

Niall was flipped upside down on the top of the jungle gym, giggling as his body swung back and forth slightly as he held to the bar tightly with his legs. After a moment, his head began to hurt, so he sat back up, blinking and shaking his head. Suddenly, he heard a voice speak and he became startled, almost falling off the bars.

“Hey, be careful!” Niall held onto the bars tightly and turned his head, seeing a boy with small, curly brown hair sitting near him. He recognized him as Harry, one of the boys in the lower grade.

“You scared me!” Niall accused, a frown present on his face.

“Sorry.” Harry let out a chuckle and grinned, dimples showing on each side of his cheeks.

Watching Harry smile strangely made Niall smile as well. “It’s okay.” He swung his legs a bit before he introduced himself. “I’m Niall.”

“I know. I’m Harry.” Harry took Niall’s hand and shook it, letting go after a moment.

They became instant friends.

\--

They were twelve years old and were still friends.

Everyday after school, Harry would go to Niall’s house to do homework, but really, all they did was play video games on Niall’s game system and eat big bowls of popcorn while they were at it. Harry would stay there until it was dark, and he walked home, happy as he could be knowing that his best friend was the greatest person in the world. Niall was like a ball of sunshine. He was always happy and naïve, always looking at the good sides of things. He knew Harry from head to toe. He knew how to make him laugh, he knew how to comfort him, and he knew how to take care of him.

Harry was Niall’s comfort whenever he was sad, which was rare. Harry’s corny jokes always made him laugh, which made him pleased that he could brighten someone’s day. Harry helped Niall in his schoolwork and never turned down an opportunity for a small tutoring session, because they were friends.

Harry couldn’t have asked for a better best friend.

Niall loved Harry, so much that he could hug him for as long as he could (Which was a really long time).

\--

They were both fifteen, but they went their separate ways.

High school changes people, and it definitely changed Niall and Harry. They weren’t by each other’s sides as much as they were before and Harry stopped going to Niall’s house everyday after school.

The two broke contact, but still had each other’s numbers in their phones. Almost every night, they would stare at their names in their small phone screen, contemplating whether they should call or text.

But they never did.

Even though they stopped talking, they still cared about each other.

\--

They were seventeen and became friends again.

Niall was carrying textbooks one day during passing period and dropped them all, quickly picking them up from the tiled floor of the hallway.

Harry was there, his face buried in his locker, searching for a book for Literature class when he heard the sound of ten thousand books cluttering on the floor. He turned his face and saw Niall, struggling to pick up each book.

He debated with himself whether he should help him. _Oh, fuck it._ He shut his locker and made his way to him, kneeling down and lifting books from the ground. Niall glanced up and gasped, surprised to see Harry in front of him.

“Hi,” Niall greeted, his voice soft.

“Hey.” Harry smiled and stood up as he took the last book. “You’re carrying an awful lot of books.”

“Yeah!” Niall stopped as he realized he said that a bit too loud. “Yeah,” he repeated, his voice quieter.

Harry chuckled. Niall saw the dimples appear on each side of his cheeks and smiled as well.

“Um,” Harry began, biting his lip and not knowing what to say. Niall stood in silence, waiting for him to continue. “I’ll walk you to your locker. You’re carrying a load of books and that’s gonna strain your arms.”

Niall let out a small laugh, shaking his head. “Since when were you the one to mother me?” He remembered that _he_ was the one who was protective over Harry and _he_ was the one who mothered him.

“Just now,” Harry replied, his voice cool and casual. He began walking alongside Niall, who was heading towards his locker. He struggled to open it and Harry offered to carry more books, but he refused. Once he opened his locker, he threw the books in, relieved that he didn’t have to carry such a heavy load anymore. Harry found Niall’s look of relief funny and placed the books inside, shutting the door.

“Thanks,” Niall said, shaking his arms out.

“You’re welcome.” Harry stood in front of him awkwardly, hesitant to say something.

Niall stayed quiet too as he waited for Harry to speak. He couldn’t believe how much the boy changed over the years. He was taller—much taller—than Niall last remembered when he saw him. His hair was more curly and bouncy and his face was more profound. Everything changed except his eyes. They were still lively, happy, and evergreen. Niall missed those pair of eyes that gave him a sense of comfort everytime he looked into them. And as Niall looked into his eyes, he felt his heart beat slow down and his whole body relax.

“Um.” Harry cleared his throat. “I’ll walk you to class?”

The blonde boy nodded. “Yeah. Please.”

They walked to Niall’s class, and once they arrived, they turned to face one another, staring at each other and both silent, still not knowing what to say.

“I’ll see you soon?” Niall hoped, the smile on his face shy and small.

“Yeah, definitely.” Harry nodded. “I’ll see you.”

“Good.” The next thing Niall did surprised the both of them.

He wrapped his arms around Harry’s waist, his chin rested on his shoulder. He had to tip his toes slightly, but he didn’t mind. He just wanted to feel the comfort he felt with Harry that he missed dearly.

Harry hugged him back, his arms around Niall’s shoulders. He smiled warmly, happy that he was with the boy he called his best friend. _Maybe we could be best friends again_ , Harry thought. He needed a best friend. He needed _Niall._

They stood in the middle of the hallway, embracing each other until the bell rang, which startled both of them. Niall jumped away and chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head. “I—I’ll see you. Later.” He waved a shy goodbye and quickly walked into his classroom.

Harry nodded and walked to his class, which was far, but he didn’t care. All he cared about was that he had his friend back, finally.

\--

They were nineteen and sitting beside each other on a park bench underneath the cold December moonlight. They were bundled up in coats and scarves as the snow fell from the sky, coating the ground in white.

Harry’s arms were wrapped around Niall, trying to keep him warm and his head on top of Niall’s. Niall’s legs were on top of Harry’s, his arms around his waist and his head rested on his shoulder.

They watched the snowflakes fall slowly onto the ground. As one landed on Niall’s lap, the blonde let go of Harry and grinned, his eyes focused on it. Harry looked fondly at Niall, his heart beating fast in his chest. He wanted to hug him and kiss him and love him forever, if that was possible.

As the snowflake melted, Niall looked up at Harry and gasped once his eyes moved down to his lips. He bit his lip and gulped nervously, knowing that they were in an awkward situation.

Niall wanted to hug, kiss, and love Harry forever as well. But he didn’t know how to tell him.

That’s when the distance closed in between them and they kissed, under the light of the stars shining in the sky and the moon hovering over them.

\--

They were twenty-three and happy as ever.

They were living in an apartment together just outside of the town they both grew up in. They were sitting on the floor, leaning against a couple boxes they were too lazy to unpack and kissing, both pulling away to catch their breath.

“I love you,” Harry whispered, a smile on his face.

“I love you too,” Niall whispered back.

And they ended up making love on the cold, hardwood floor. But they didn’t care. They had each other and that’s all that mattered at the moment.

\--

They were twenty-five and standing in front of each other, hands holding each other’s and smiles on their faces, trying to fight the tears that were about to roll down their cheeks.

They listened as the preacher said his words, and before they knew it, they were exchanging vows, slipping wedding bands onto each other’s fingers, saying “I do”, and kissing once the preacher said, “you may now kiss each other.”

They were overjoyed as they exited the chapel, all smiles when they hurried to the small white vintage Buggy that had “Just Married” on the back window. They kissed in the back seat as the car drove them to where they were staying for their honeymoon.

“I love you,” Niall whispered against Harry’s lips.

“I love you,” Harry whispered back, and he meant it with all his heart.

\--

They promised to love each other, comfort each other, honor and keep each other through sickness and through health, and remain faithful to each other as long as they live.

And they did just that for the next forty-five years.

\--

The two went through their ups and downs, twists and turns, and rise and fall, but they still loved each other, no matter what.

“I’m glad you climbed that jungle gym when we were eight years old,” Niall said as he softly traced Harry’s collarbone, his head rested on his chest.

“I’m glad I helped you pick up your books that day in high school,” Harry replied, a grin on his face as he looked down at Niall. “If none of that happened, I don’t think I would be this happy.”

“Me too.” The blonde moved his head to look up at his husband. “Harry?”

“Will you still love me? Even when I’m old and wrinkly and my voice probably won’t sound like this anymore. And when I can barely walk and do anything?”

Harry stared at Niall, remembering all the things they went through together. Fate and destiny was something Harry was skeptical about and he didn’t believe in it one bit, but now, he knew that it was real. He was meant to be with Niall forever until they couldn’t.

“Of course.” He placed a hand on Niall’s cheek, caressing it softly with his thumb. “We’re gonna grow old together and we’re gonna live in a nice cottage with a lake in front and a porch with one of those porch swings and we’re gonna sit on that porch swing everyday. We’re gonna get fat and get wrinkles and we’ll probably get those dark spots on our hands and arms and legs. We’re gonna have white hair everywhere and we’re gonna wear old people clothes,” he laughed. “But despite that, we’re gonna love each other until we die. You understand me, Niall?”

The blue-eyed man had tears in his eyes. He leaned up and pressed his lips against Harry’s. “I understand,” he answered, taking his hand and intertwining their fingers.

\--

They were seventy years old and living in a small cottage in front of a lake with a porch and a porch swing.

The two were sat on the porch swing, hands holding each other’s as they stared out at the lake. The sun’s rays were glistening and reflecting on the water’s surface, making it a beautiful sight.

Harry turned to Niall and stared at him, memories of their past coming back to him and making him smile. Niall was the one who made Harry laugh until his stomach ached, the one who comforted and relaxed him, the one who made him angry that his skin turned hot and red, the one who made him smile at the simplest things, and the one who made him love and feel loved.

And Harry was the same to Niall.

\--

Later that year, Niall got sick. The liveliness in his cornflower blue eyes was starting to fade, but the happiness that resided in those pair of eyes was still there as Harry stared at him, his thumb caressing the back of Niall’s hand.

Niall was in bed, his voice hoarse from all the coughing and his breathing deep, trying to take a full breath of air. Nobody knew what he was sick from, but everybody knew that he eventually was going to pass.

Harry looked down at Niall’s hand and saw the wedding band around his finger. He smoothed his thumb over it and glanced back up at his husband, who was still trying to fight it.

“Just let go, Niall,” Harry whispered, his voice breaking. “Just do it.”

Niall turned his head and looked up at him, slightly wheezing. Tears were rolling down his cheeks, but a small smile was present on his face.

“I love you so much, Harry,” he said softly, and suddenly he coughed harshly, making Harry wince a little.

Harry gulped, trying not to cry. He didn’t want to lose Niall, not now. He wanted them to die together and hold each other’s hand until their last breath. But fate didn’t want that to happen. Right now, to Harry, fate sucked and he hated it.

“I love you too, Niall.” Harry couldn’t help but choke back a sob. He leaned down and placed the side of his head on Niall’s heart, hearing it beat slowly and steadily. He placed a small kiss on his hand and squeezed it slightly, never wanting to let go.

After a long moment of silence, Niall’s heart stopping beating and a voice in Harry’s head told him to sit up, but Harry refused. He stayed in his position for a while and began sobbing, his grip around Niall’s hand tighter. He lifted his head up slowly and glanced at Niall. His eyes were closed and his lips slightly parted, his skin pale and cold. Harry stood up, wincing a little because of his bad back and placed a kiss on Niall’s forehead, his hand still holding his.

Harry knew he loved Niall ever since that day at school when they were eight. He loved him when he saw him hanging down from the bars of the jungle gym and he was going to love him for as long as he wanted.

He never stopped loving Niall, and he never could.


End file.
